Dads are given one of the greatest privileges of all time: to represent God in the home. Knowing this, how should dads treat his wife and kids?

Let's talk about that.

Dad-to-dad

The Bible tells us that God is holy, righteous and just. At the same time, the word also tells us that He is loving, merciful, gracious, and kind. When we think of all these, we should be amazed at the fact that He is our Father.

As such, God is the ultimate role model for all dads out there. If earthly dads find raising ten kids hard, just think of the billions of people God is looking out for daily! He surely knows how fathering should be.

That said, here are some ways Christian dads should treat their families, coming from the word of God.

1) To their wives, sacrificial love

Before a dad could be a dad, he has to learn to love his wife. Statistics available online tell us that one of the major causes of crime among youths is the breakdown of marriage.

This is why dads must prioritize their marriages. Fathers longing to raise up secure and confident kids will do well by loving their spouses in the way God intends them to: like Christ loved the church.

It would be odd to worry so much about raising up secure and confident kids when you are not 'raising up' a secure and confident wife.  You hold the key to your wife's confidence by making sure she feels secure in your love.  And when she feels secure in your love, she will excel in doing her part to raise up secure kids.

"Husbands, love your wives, just as Christ also loved the church and gave Himself for her." (Ephesians 5:25)

2) To their children, supportive love

Fathers are also instructed to raise up their children in such a way that they will be motivated to love God and give their best to Him.

Of course, it's fairly understandable that dads will have mistakes sometimes, especially those who have received faulty to no fathering from their own earthly fathers, but because we have a Father in the Lord God, we are able to train up our children in His ways.

Proverbs 22:6 tells us to "Train up a child in the way he should go, and when he is old he will not depart from it." However, this training or discipline should be done in a way that encourages children to want God, not hate him:

• "Fathers, do not provoke your children, lest they become discouraged." (Colossians 3:21)
• "And you, fathers, do not provoke your children to wrath, but bring them up in the training and admonition of the Lord." (Ephesians 6:4)

3) To their whole family, with Godly love

Dads, like I mentioned above, are given the privilege to represent God in the home. As such, they will do well to seek God constantly, either by themselves (in their personal quiet times) or with family (by establishing a family altar).

Fathers should be the spiritual leaders and greatest servants in their homes. They should be faithful to their wives and their children, if they want to be faithful to God. After all, a father is the head of his own family, but his head is Christ.

"But I want you to know that the head of every man is Christ, the head of woman is man, and the head of Christ is God." (1 Corinthians 11:3)

A word to dads

Dads, take time to grow in God. Your leadership at home will be defined by your relationship and obedience to God, our Father. He is our role model, and we should learn from Him.

I encourage you: fulfill your responsibility to your family. God will hold you accountable for it, but will be with you as you do it.

God bless you!